Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan — 140 years of tradition, still very much alive
Have you ever wanted to experience a truly authentic Japanese ryokan but balked at luxury-tier prices? Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan might be your answer. Founded in 1883, this ryokan has stood for over 140 years and still preserves the atmosphere of classical Japanese hospitality in a way that is genuinely rare. There are rooms with private open-air baths (rotenburo), a meticulously kept Japanese garden, and kaiseki dinner + breakfast included — all from ¥40,000/night for 2 guests, considerably less than the high-end tier.
Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan sits at 1297 Ninotaira in the Kowakidani zone — at the heart of the Hakone Kowakien area, which has been celebrated for its hot springs and onsen gardens since the Meiji era. Getting here requires a bus or shuttle from Yumoto or Gōra, but that journey is part of the experience — a gradual withdrawal from the noise of the city, step by step, until you arrive at a place where time genuinely seems to slow down.
"A genuinely traditional ryokan — beautiful garden, classic atmosphere, wonderful kaiseki. Many guests who have stayed say this is what an authentic Japanese ryokan experience truly feels like."
The signature appeal here is the traditional Japanese garden, tended with extraordinary care — stones, a pond, clipped trees, and gravel paths that make stepping outside the room a calming ritual in itself. The buildings and rooms retain clear traces of their age: wooden walls, tatami floors, and details that tell you this place has not been renovated into anonymity. That sense of continuity is difficult to manufacture, and impossible to find at a hotel built last year.
On the onsen question that everyone asks — to be straight: not every room has a private open-air bath. Only 10 of the rooms include a rotenburo (outdoor bath) directly in the room; 3 rooms have a private indoor bath. There is also one kashikiri bath (a shared bath that can be reserved for exclusive private use). If a private outdoor bath is essential to your stay, specify 'room with open-air bath' clearly when booking, because those 10 rooms go fast.
The meals are another thing guests mention warmly. The kaiseki dinner included in the rate is a multi-course progression of seasonal ingredients, served with quiet ceremony. The traditional Japanese breakfast is included too. Many guests report that the food is one of the highlights of the stay — the meals complete the ryokan experience in a way that feels whole.
A few honest notes before you book: the buildings here have age, and some of the furniture shows it. If you are looking for a room that looks freshly renovated or has a clean modern-minimalist aesthetic, this may not be your style. But if that sense of living history is exactly what you are after, the patina here goes deeper than anything money can buy new.
Trip.com rates the ryokan 9.3 and Booking.com gives it 8.8 from 115 reviews — genuinely strong numbers for a property that is not in the top luxury tier. Guests who have stayed here consistently say 'more authentic than expected' and 'better value than I thought,' which tells you a great deal about who this place is right for.
The honest summary: Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan is the choice for travellers who want a real taste of traditional Japanese ryokan life — one backed by 140 years of unbroken history — without committing to a full luxury budget. Old buildings have character, the garden is beautiful, private baths are available if you choose them, and the included meals make every yen spent feel worthwhile.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Traditional ryokan founded in 1883 — genuinely classic character
- ✓ Beautiful, meticulously maintained traditional Japanese garden
- ✓ Kaiseki dinner + breakfast included in the rate — strong value
- ✓ Private open-air bath rooms available (10 rooms)
- ! Historic building — some furnishings show their age
- ! Private open-air baths not in every room — must request at booking
- ! Kowakidani zone requires a bus or shuttle to reach
- ✓ Trip.com 9.3 — high score reflects genuine guest satisfaction
- ✓ From ¥40,000/night — far more accessible than the luxury tier
- ✓ Kashikiri bath available to reserve privately even from standard rooms
- ✓ Complete ryokan experience at a realistic price
- ! Relatively small number of online reviews (~115)
- ! Private open-air bath rooms limited to 10 — book well ahead
- ! Traditional aesthetic — may not suit those wanting a modern-look room
- 💡If a private open-air bath is a must — only 10 rooms have a rotenburo → specify 'room with open-air bath' clearly when booking, and book well ahead as these rooms sell out first.
- 💡If you prefer freshly renovated, modern-look rooms — the buildings here are historic and some furnishings show their age → this may not match your style; consider newer-renovated ryokan options instead.
- 💡If you need direct access by train — Kowakidani has no direct train link; a bus or shuttle from Yumoto or Gōra is required → check the bus timetable before planning your arrival and departure times.